Redemption
by IceFeather9110
Summary: Do you think even the worse person can change? That everybody can be a good person, if they just try? Do you think that someone certain they are destined to be the villain, can be a hero? Eridan Ampora is certain that a true villain like himself can never be redeemed. But when he somehow accidentally cheats death and ends up in the underground, his ideas are put to the test.
1. Chapter 1

Hello! I'm IceFeather9110!

You probably know that both Undertale and Homestuck contain some pretty terrible things, but just to be on the safe side, if you are offended or do not like mentions of genocide, gore, suicidal thoughts, and/or swearing, don't read this story! But, for the people who are fine with these, and if you have read Homestuck or played Undertale, there is a good chance you are, then continue!

Reviews and constructive criticism are encouraged! Please do share any ideas for future chapters you may have! As a beginning storyteller, I could use some advice on how to direct the plot!

Also, shipping. If you have any shipping suggestions, feel free to leave suggestions! This fic won't have anything sexually nsfw, though, so please keep that noted!

Homestuck belongs to Andrew Hussie and Undertale belongs to Toby Fox.

Now, enough of my endless narrating and lets get on with the show!

* * *

Chapter 1

Dying wasn't what had surprised him. He actually didn't care much about what happened to him, because whatever he did, pretty soon, would just end up with him being killed anyways. That what would happened to everyone. No, dying didn't faze him the way it would anyone else. It was dying like _this_ , killed by the one he had struck down, that made him freeze where he had stood. The prince watched in shock as the sylph, once a corpse, ripped his weapon from his hand, broke it into splinters, and ran a chainsaw through his side. Violet splattering everywhere as he flipped in midair, broken in two.

They didn't care about him anymore, Eridan Ampora, Prince of Hope. He was their enemy, and he was dead.

At least, he expected to die, like he should have. He _wanted_ to die, because living would have ended with him dying anyways. There was no point in continuing, and he was content with it. So, why?

Why did his soul refuse?

Soft dripping and quiet sounds resonated as violet eyes shot open. The room was dim, but not too dark to see anything. Above, a nest of purple-ish stalactites hung from the roof of a cave, a faint light somehow emanating from their even with no visible source. Many marble pillars escalated high above, almost to the ceiling. They didn't seem to serve any function other than just being there, though. Spindly vines climbed up the sides of almost anything there, and the place looked in ruins.

Eridan Ampora sat up. _Am I dead?_ He could still feel things, not just pain, but emotions. No, somehow, he wasn't dead, even though he knew he had no way of ascending. _So, howw then?_

Slowly, aching slightly, he got to his feet. A small patch of yellow flowers lay by his feet, a bit crushed now, but otherwise surprisingly prosperous, despite the lack of essential factors needed to grow flowers. The rest of the area had a dirt floor, small patches of grass scattered about. An enclosed path lead ahead, giving a slightly claustrophobic, yet welcoming vibe.

 _Guess theres only one wway to go._

After a few moment of walking, an opening appeared on the left. It was elaborately large, with two pillars on each side. A few steps lead up to the actual doorway, gaping with no actual functioning doors. But the one thing that caught your eye was the arched top, emblemized with a strange symbol unlike any he had ever seen. It consisted of three triangles, two pointing up and a center one inverted. Above them, a circle with two large wings hovered above. A figure that brought back memories of terrible screeches and battles to his mind. A figure of wrath.

 _An angel._

Through the doorway was another room. An illuminated patch of grass with a single yellow flower was the only thing noticeably different. As he walked through, he looked straight at the next exit, making haste.

"Woah there, no need to rush, buddy!"

The voice was high pitched and friendly sounding, quite contrasting the dim, calming atmosphere of the caves. Eridan looked around, trying to find the source. It almost sounded as if it came from below him…

"Wwhat in the-"

The flower, now only a foot away from him, now sprouted a pair of beady eyes and a smile in the middle of its face. It grinned cheekily, and seemed almost too joyous and trusting to be natural.

"You almost stepped on me, so, for the future, be a bit more careful, alrighty?"

"…Sure." This thing sure was odd, not caring that he had almost hurt, or possibly killed it.

 _Then again, it wwouldnt be the first species Ivve run into wwith similar morals_.

It squinted at him, still smiling.

"Y'know, I've never seen anyone quite like you around here. You look different than any kind of monster I've ever met. By the way, I'm Flowey, Flowey the flower. Where'd you come from?"

 _This thing is expectin me to be wway more open than one should._

"Quite a distance from here, I think. Wwhere is this place anywways?"

Flowey, somehow, smiled even wider, anticipation filling his face.

"You're not from the Underground aren't cha? I can tell, you're different." It suddenly changed into a smirk. "You look and have the aura of a monster, but, very faintly, I can feel it. You have a soul like a humans."

The slight frown on Eridan's face remained unchanged, but his eyes grew slightly wider. The flower continued, sounding ever so less caring with each passing second.

"Heh, I can tell. You have a lot of power stored inside of you. Lasting power. A monsters soul won't last a second after death, but your soul? It'll persist."

Flowey's voice had lost all traces of compassion at this point, sounding heartless and diminutive. His smile transformed from being friendly and cheerful to a grin of pure malice.

"Long enough to make me a GOD."

Without warning, a ring of floating white bullets surrounded him, spinning in place. The violet blood immediately switched to a defensive posture, surveying the orbs. He tried to call out his strife specibus, before realizing he didn't have any.

 _The fuck kinda weapon is this?_

A chilling laugh filled the room, as the bullets slowly enclosed upon the prince. His mind raced. Would he die now? Would he live? Is this some personal hell where he is forced to die over and over again?

The bullets rammed into his skin, battering his body.

But, surprisingly, they didn't hurt much.

"What?" The flora's smile had faded into a confused frown, scowling fiercely. More bullets formed around him. This time, they were shot straight at him, fifty or so flying to hit their target. But, they only did so much damage, and Eridan still stood.

"Why won't you die?" Hundreds of projectiles now flooded the room, forming rows upon rows. They forcefully shot out in waves, violently ramming into the young seadweller, the attacker screaming with each onslaught.

"Why. The. Fuck. Won't. You. DIE?!"

The last wave slammed into the ground, shaking the earth and bringing up dust. But, though hunched over, the troll lived, bleeding violet and bruised. They both caught their breath, exhaling rasps of air.

"Hah…hah…your LOVE."

The flower began to smile, almost psychotically. "Just how much death have you caused to gain so much?"

Eridan didn't respond, trying to process what was happening. The flower was implying that it related to violence instead of, well, the opposite. Were they thinking of the same thing?

Suddenly, a faint pit-pat could be heard from somewhere. He raised his head to look up towards the exit he had tried to go through earlier, while Flowey kept talking.

"You're just like me, aren't you? Not afraid to kill those below us, not out of revenge, or any other 'justifications'. We kill because we can." The sound grew louder, footsteps of someone running closer.

"Beings like us are the only sensible ones in this disgusting world! We aren't afraid to kill each other if we get in the other's way!" A darkened figure could be seen running forth, large and imposing.

"Sorry, buddy, but there can only be one!" An armada of bullets formed around the grinning flower, preparing to hit. Preparing to kill.

The glow of fire filled the room, as a strange, white being entered, hands clasping a ball of pure-white flame. They shot the weapon towards the monologue-ing flower, throwing it across the room. It disappeared from the room. The floating arsenal disintegrated into nothing, like falling ashes. All went quiet. The figure's scowling face stayed for a moment, before falling into a pitying smile.

"Are you alright, small one?"

* * *

Whew! Anyways, at the end of each chapter, I'll try to post a question about how the plot will continue! So here it is!

I'm contemplating making this sort of reflect the Undertale series and make it a "choose your own adventure" type of story. I will update with two stories every time, one being a pacifist run, the other being a genocide run. This style will take longer to update, though. Originally, it was going to be sort of a mix, but now I'm not sure what to do. So, what do you think? Should I make this more of a traditional fic with quicker updates, or a double fic, with multiple choices you can make, but slower updates. Anyhow, see ya!

 _IceFeather9110_


	2. Chapter 2

Yay, chapter 2! This one's a bit shorter, but I don't think it makes much of a difference.

Homestuck belongs to Andrew Hussie and Undertale belongs to Toby Fox.

* * *

Chapter 2

"Are you alright, small one?"

Eridan starred at the figure. She, at least, it sounded like a she, was tall, around six feet at least, and slightly plump, but not very. A long, simple periwinkle dress flowed over her with a turtleneck top. Her sleeves were white and hung down over her wrists. On her chest was the same emblem he had seen on the doorway, surrounded by a light blue border. But that's where everything rationally normal ended.

She had the head of a goat, with two curved horns, and long, drooping ears. Her body was entirely covered with thin white fur, smooth and clear of dirt. Her hands and feet were paw-like, large and clawless. To Eridan, she actually seemed very much like a lusus, but the obvious increase of intelligence told him otherwise. Her expression and tone were strangely caring, for a stranger's. Still, the sight was foreign, and he wasn't about to take chances. He quietly stood up, brushed himself off, and faced her with his usual, cold gaze.

"Doesn't matter. Wwho are you?"

The monster, while taken aback with the harsh tone, kept up her kind charade. No one could be stupid enough to trust a stranger so openheartedly, right? She began to walk forward, causing Eridan to instinctively step back. She stopped short, pausing before giving her answer.

"My name is Toriel, caretaker of th- oh! Oh dear." Her eyes rested on the scattered violet blood on the prince's face and clothing. "Is that…what I think it is?"

He scoffed. "Just blood." But this just made the creature worry more. As for why, he hadn't a clue.

"Monsters…don't normally bleed."

"Monsters as a species?"

Toriel frowned, beginning to step closer. As the alien stepped back once again, his legs gave out beneath him as he began to fall. Letting out a gasp, the monster leapt forward, reaching out to catch the injured being. She reached him just in time, holding him upright.

He instantly shoved her away, falling to the cave floor in staggered breaths. Leaving her stunned.

 _The fuck is she thinkin?_

"Look, whatever you are, you obviously aren't well. You need assistance."

"And w…why should I…trust you?" He was beginning to lose quite a bit of blood. With as much resistance as he has, he wasn't indestructible. But what did it matter, maybe he would die this time. Like he should. Toriel opened her mouth to speak, but it took a few moments for words to form.

"Why should you- You're injured! If I leave you here, you could die!"

Slowly, shaking all the while, he began to rise to his feet, taking it one step at a time.

"…So be it."

And blackness overtook him.

 _The room was stark white, with no doors or walls or, anything, for that matter. In fact, it could hardly be called a room. Just an expanse of nothingness. He stood at the center, hands by his side, unfeeling and alone. His clothes were unstained of dirt and blood and his body was undamaged. Somehow._

 _The sound of footsteps sounded from behind. They were slow and uneven, like a limp would sound. He turned around, instantly regretting it._

 _No._

 _A figure stood in front of him. Somewhat short, grey skinned with a slight fuchsia complexion. Her hair was long and bushy, and billowed in an invisible force, as if caught in an undersea current. Two upwards facing, slightly curved orange horns poked from her head, and a set of fins from where ears would have grown. Her shoes were pink and of the finest quality, and she wore a skirt fit for a queen, teal and emerald and flowing in the same ocean she loved so much. Golden circlet and bangles framed her, emblemized with glistening gems and rare metals. Her shirt was a pure black and sleeveless._

 _And fitted with a pink, bleeding hole in the chest._

 _No no no no, please no._

 _Blood dripped from her mouth and her chest, blotting the floor in drops of royal colors. Her expression was wide eyed, her mouth hanging agape with a slight frown. He could see tears, welling up in her white cloudy eyes. She breathed, if only slightly and strained._

 _I'm sorry._

 _She slowly swayed, then collapsed on her back. A soft orchestra of honks emanated from nowhere. Her breathing stopped. A clatter sounded besides the killer, a dropped object. Long and pure white, glowing with some unknown power. As if it had always been in his hands._

 _I'm so, so sorry._

 _A loud, whirring sound could be heard, followed with a piercing scream. Suddenly, he world engulfed in a violet splatter. He couldn't feel anything, but his perspective somersaulted as his torso flipped over through the air, the scream quickly gurgling into nothing as it choked on blood._

 _I couldn't savve you._

Then he woke up.

* * *

Anyways, question time!

Opinions on the chapter length? These are all going to be about this length, maybe a few odd ones out? Anyways, please remember to review and fave if you want to!

 _IceFeather9110_


	3. Chapter 3

Wow. I am really surprised how much positive feedback this fic has gotten in such a short amount of time! It really warms my heart! I'm so greatful for your feedback! Speaking of feedback, I should probably answer a few questions!

To Rawr: Making an Eridan pacifist run is very challenging, but also, not. The thing about Eridan and a good handful of other Homestuck character is that they weren't developed as far as characters like Karkat and the kids. You can add little bits of story to his own without changing it so far that it isn't canonical anymore. Though, I'm up for the challenge. Also, I don't really want to incorporate the aspect of being able to replay the game as something Eridan can do. The power is based off of the users levels of determination, and, in all honestly, Eridan in this fic has lost quite a bit of his. Not all of it, but a good chunk. Thanks for your input!

Also, a lot of you were commenting on the style of writing, being traditional or branching, and I got mixed results, so I decided to split the difference! I think I'll do a pacifist run, and when this fic is over, if you want me to, I'll write a genocide run.

This chapter was fueled with determination, magic science, and cute little chocolate bars.

Homestuck belongs to Andrew Hussie and Undertale belongs to Toby Fox.

Onwards!

EDIT: I noticed this chapter came out as chapter 1, at lest for me. Sorry for the inconvenience, hope everyone who celebrates had a happy Thanksgiving!

* * *

Chapter 3

The prince awoke in a cold sweat. He shook and shuttered, before scowling to himself and cursing under his breath. He should really remember to go back into his coon after late day research and plotting, it had become a bad habit-

Then he remembered his current situation, and cursed again.

 _She, Tori-something, mustve captured me when I passed out._

He did a mental check, assessing himself, where he noticed two things.

One, he was a lot less damaged then he thought he should be for someone who was recently beaten to a pulp. This was concerning to say the least.

Two, he wasn't wearing his scarf. This was equally concerning.

The room was small, and had an almost humble atmosphere to it. It was a disappointing maroon color all around, the walls, the carpet, everything. A few different kinds of storage devices held books, shoes, and, most of all, toys, which honestly didn't look like they would interest anybody at all. The only sources of light were a few measly lamps in the far corners of the room, also maroon. But, all in all, it looked relatively like the block of a young troll.

He shuffled a bit, the surface he was on making a strange, ruffling sound. It was, fabric-y, malleable, and…solid. Similar to a table, but it consisted of layers of cloth sheets stuffed with varying amount of a fluffy filling. Why something like this would exist was questionable at the least. It's use as a sleeping-aid, terrible, known from recent first-hand-experience.

 _Though wwhy do I feel like Ivve seen one before? No matter, I guess._

Eridan began to try and climb out of the jumble of fabric, which was a bit more difficult than it should have been, a tangle jumbled pile of bedsheets and comforters…whatever those are. Everything just got stuck on the sharp point of his claws and horns, tearing a bit here and there. It must be a trap, of sorts. What other purpose would it serve? No way in hell was he about to be fooled by such lowly technology.

He ended up falling to the floor in a loud but fluffy thump.

The cursing resumed.

The door opened a tad just as Eridan pulled himself off the ground, causing him to jump a bit. Toriel leaned in, causing the prince to grimace. He should have been more careful.

"Hello? Are you awa-" She paused upon seeing the small being, tangled in a bundle of blankets. "Ha-hahaha! How precious."

"The hell?!"

"Hey, I'd much prefer if you would watch your tone. One of your age shouldn't be using language that harsh. And please stop demolishing that blanket, it is the only one I have on me momentarily. Aw, here, I'll assist you upwards."

"No! I, I dont need assistance." He was slowly being reminded of a certain annoying Jade-blood he knew.

"Well, If you are certain, could you do it in a reasonably-less destructive fashion? I need to remake this bed now, and it would be a tad difficult with you tangled in the sheets."

"Bed?" He glanced at the newly dubbed 'bed', near certain he had heard that term before. So familiar, and yet, so unnatural. Toriel just sighed, reaching out against the struggling alien's will, until he and the torn bedsheets were well separated. This process was much quicker than the previous attempts.

"You truly are from far away, aren't you?" She kneeled down, with that same, soft smile. "Could you tell me your name? Perhaps we could have a bit of a conversation over tea, if you would like?"

The prince, sprawled on the floor and unarmed, would have normally considered this situation as a death wish, but the creature's actions were perplexingly unpredicted. He began wondering if she truly didn't mean harm to him. If she was just being…hospitable? Even though it was such an unnatural, and certainly idiotic thing to do? To let a stranger who could be potentially dangerous into your hive, and take care of them. Which is, of course, exactly what happened. They must have some serious issues. But even so, they, genuinely didn't seem out to hurt them, or at least strange enough to go to great lengths to do so.

It wasn't like he would have an objection to being killed. He couldn't fight back either, he didn't have any strife cards.

Perhaps he could just take the risk?

"…Eridan Ampora. And, sure, for the tea."

A few minutes later, they both were in a living room, both sitting at a table in the corner. Two steaming teacups of herbal tea rested on quaint matching saucers in their hands. Eridan sat tensely, unmoving, though secretly glad his signature striped scarf had been returned to him. Toriel, however, was happily sipping on her tea, trying to lighten the atmosphere.

"Alright, now that were settled, do you mind if I ask a few questions?"

"Huh? Oh, sure, I suppose."

"If this doesn't come off as offensive, do you mind me asking what you might be? At first I had thought of you as a monster, but we don't bleed, and you certainly are not a human."

Eridan frowned. "You knoww of them? Humans, that is."

"Erm, yes, though it's hard not to. I'm surprised you would think I hadn't. They are quite enthralled into our history."

 _That must be wwhy I wwas finding so many parallels. Wwonder wwhy wwe had nevver realized the existence of these 'monsters' wwhen in the lab. Perhaps this is a different wworld altogether?_

 _Wwait, that means they probably don't havve recouprecoons. Shit._

"Alright, just askin. I am of a species called trolls, wwhich are neither human nor monster, as far as I knoww."

"Funny, I've never heard of them. Where are you from?"

"Quite a distance awway, probably. I dont really knoww howw I got here, it just sorta happened."

""Hmm, strange. You should really try your tea, child, it will chill if you don't."

The seadweller starred at the cup of clear golden liquid. It smelt good, and he knew it would probably be polite to take a sip, but natural instinct held him against it.

"My apologies, but I would prefer not to."

Toriel gave a stern frown. "You are entirely too distrusting, as for why I couldn't guess."

"Wwhere I come from is quite dangerous. One needs to be wwary in order to be safe. Actually, in my observvation, you seem quite a bit to trustin to be natural." He gave a stiff shrug and went back to starring at his cold tea.

"You know, this land isn't as harsh as the one you say your come from. It may have its problems, but you should give it a chance."

Eridan raised an eyebrow. "Wwhat about that flowwer?"

"What that flower did was disgraceful, putting one through such pain. I'm just thankful I was passing by when I heard the ruckus. By the way," She leaned forwards, putting her empty cup to the side. "I overheard you're conversation with that villain, but just the end of it. If you don't mind, could you clarify what it was saying?"

 _Wwhat it wwas sayin? Oh, right, it wwas comparin myself to them._

He honestly didn't care if anyone knew him as a killer, before the game happened, he was always used to it, and sometimes enjoyed the title a bit too much. Heck, if this was a normal conversation on a normal planet, he would have probably told her, and maybe even have killed her himself. But, she was his only ally so far here. Every general knew that it was good to have alliances when in unfamiliar territory. If he told her, he knew he wouldn't like what would happen next. This place could be more dangerous then she claimed. No, he would keep his morals hidden for now. Plus, he really didn't feel like explaining anything relating to murder after what had happened before his arrival.

 _Im sorry, Fef. I really let you dowwn, didn't I?_

"Nothin comprehendible. I hardly understood it myself."

"Alright, if you insist. Oh dear, is that really the time? We should really be asleep."

"Trolls are nocturnal, actually. I think I'll be up a bit, if that's alright."

"Oh, alright. Just don't cause too much of a ruckus, alright?"

"Sure, sure." And with a clutter of dishes into the sink, Toriel was off.

 _About time, too. No offense to her, but havvin play the nice guy façade was givvin me a migraine. Guess Im just not used to it._

Sure, he meant her no harm, at least so far, but having to pretend that he actually gave a shit about her kind words and welcoming demeanor was exhausting. But that wasn't the main reason he was glad to be alone. Something earlier had caught his eye.

He noticed that Toriel lived in a hive on the floor of the cave, with only a few rooms, but still plenty of space for her needs. The cave also had a solid stone floor, with only a small layer of dirt above it, about a foot high. It would be quite inconvenient and time consuming to carve into it, near impossible without the proper technology, which he was near certain the lusus-like lady didn't have. All of this logical thinking had led to one question.

Why in the world did she need a basement?

* * *

And were done! I tried to include more of Undertale's zany humor in this chapter, something I love about the game. And for the chapterly question, drumroll, please!

*Insert drumsounds here*

Did any parts make you laugh? If so, please tell me! If not, please also tell me, so I can improve! Don't be afraid to say my humor's stale! And with that, I end my endless speech.

 _IceFeather9110_


	4. Chapter 4

AhhhhH! Sorry this took so long, this past week has been really busy for me, and I'm exhausted. But, the time has finally come that I update this! I'm quite surprised how popular this has gotten! It means so much to me that I am able to publish something you people enjoy!

To Trondason: This is a pacifist run! And I am in perfect alignment with what you said! Since Eridan isn't human, telling that his soul is as strong as one is much harder, not impossible, but harder indeed! And he hasn't killed anyone because he is unarmed. In my head, Eridan isn't much of a close combat person, and prefers to attack from a distance with a firearm or long range weapon. since he dies without his gun or wand, he doesn't have any normal means which to fight. hell, even fist fighters had to use a stride card from what we've seen! Maybe in the Undertale universe this doesn't apply, and he's doing this for no an invalid reason? Eh, I don't know. Anyways, thanks for the review!

To Rawr: Thanks for pointing that out, I'll fix it asap! And with sans, I'm actually considering mirroring that situation. Eridan isn't much of a pun-person, though he'll use them time to time. Probably next chapter, which will hopefully be uploaded much sooner then this one! Thanks for sticking with this story!

Homestuck belongs to Andrew Hussie and Undertale belongs to Toby Fox.

Now, onwards!

* * *

Chapter 4

Tightening his scarf, the prince walked out of the small dining room and into the main entrance. He turned towards the stairs, which he only had a slight glance at before since they only went so far before turning the opposite direction. They were strange, carpeted with a maroon and cream-colored pattern, but the flooring was wooden. There wasn't even any transition between them, like a covering, just crude wood to cheap wool stuff. The surrounding floor had a banister, but the actual stairs did not. The edge of the stairs was also raw, unpolished wood splintering slightly into a dark abyss below. In fact, the space between the stairs was so dark it could be a fatal fall.

 _For someone so protective, she certainly overlooked this._

Eridan paced over to the steps and began to carefully walk down then. They only lasted a few flights though, until his foot toughed solid rock. The room was pitch black, though in a few blinking seconds his eyes adjusted. The cave was similar to the rest of the ruins. Same rugged, purple stone all around, less foliage though, which was expected, sort of? All the flora so far was growing where it should have been impossible, but whatever. The path was relatively linear, and didn't really show any purpose. Nothing was being stored, and there wasn't anything cultural about it. Unless clawing caverns out of the earth was traditional. Maybe it lead to somewhere?

He paced forward, stepping lightly on his feet. Even so, footsteps echoed throughout the cavern, resonating everywhere at once. The area had a tension to it. The kind when it's too quiet for anything good to happen, even though it was supposed to be quiet. He was alone, wasn't he?

The shadowy backside of a figure stated otherwise.

Eridan internally groaned. He'd hoped this was going to be quick, and, even more so, unaccompanied. He dragged his most innocent voice from his subconscious, which wasn't very innocent at all, and braced himself.

"…Toriel?"

"…" She began to walk away from him.

"Wwhat is this place?"

"Please, go upstairs." Her tone was firm, yet still caring.

He stepped to follow her, his face in a relaxed frown. He had to walk quickly in able to match her speed. "Wwhere does it lead?"

"…This place leads towards the exit of the ruins. The doorway that connects this place to the rest of the underground. I'm…going to do what I s-should have done long ago."

 _Is she seriously cryin?_

"Wwhich wwould be?"

She stopped, her six foot frame dwarfed by what towered before them. A door, larger than any before it, and actually consisting of something other than an empty hole. It was a vibrant violet, and made of pure rock. Chiseled on the front, was the same symbol he had seen everywhere before. The same triangles, the same angel. It almost emanated a light, lighting everything facing it, and darkening the rest. Toriel turned her head, saddened, but determined. Her eyes were set into a scowl and beads of tears dotted the outer corners. Depression filled her pupils vividly.

"Destroy it."

The monster continued. "Every human that has fallen through to this cursed cage suffers the same fate. All killed, all innocent, all so, so young. The land beyond is Asgore's territory." She spat the name, "A being with a soul, like yourself, would only be murdered by him in a matter of time. That fate isn't something anyone should face. Please, leave."

The prince sighed, dropping his façade. His face contorted into a full-fledged look of intelligent and collected villainy, eyes glowing slits in the darkness. He'd had enough dealing with people's emotions for one night.

"Well, I guess thats your problem to deal wwith by yourself, but since wwhen have I said im alright wwith you takin responsibility for me? For your information, wwe are acquaintances, something im not even comfortable wwith. I have full right to leavve this place and do my own thing as I please."

Toriel recoiled from the change of tone, freezing for a second or two. She was now facing him head on, hands clenched at her side.

"I- I know. Yes, you are your own person. But at the same time, you are a minor, and I refuse to lead you into his hands!"

He was beginning to lose his patience.

"Look, I don't know wwhat thoughts are goin on in your head, but it doesn't matter. Just let me through!"

"But he'll kill y-"

"So wwhat if I die?!"

Toriel let out a weak gasp. The tears in her eyes began to pour, and her paw was over her mouth in shock.

"But, what do you…" The seadweller only let out a huff of annoyance.

"None a your business. Let me through."

"…I see. I-if you truly wish to pass. Then prove to me. Prove you can survive out there!"

Eridan felt the wave of combat wash over him. The adrenaline, the rhythm. How everything went so slowly, but moved quicker then light. But something about this was off. It felt more structured, and...turn-based? If that makes any sense. It was different then the quick movements and strategic choices of a traditional strife, in any case. It wasn't like he was armed anyways, so he didn't have any effective means of defending himself.

 _Wwell, its not like I havve anythin to lose._

For some reason, Toriel's eyes widened, but she tried to keep a straight face. Masking her discomfort, she cupped her hand around something invisible, a flame, white and smoking in between her fingers like a serpent. She drew back and threw it at him. Out of nowhere, hundreds of similar balls of fire shot out like a flock of birds. All moving in twisting patterns, dancing. He managed to dodge most of them, but was scuffed a bit. Which was surprising, considering he wasn't really trying to dodge them much at all. Still, he faked it to the best of his ability.

"Cmon, thats your best shot?"

"…"

The room was alit with light as she swung more flames at him. This time, throwing them with a swat of her hand, almost hitting him. Again, he gave a weak dodge, almost deliberately trying to face the fire. Again, he went almost unscathed.

 _Hold on a fuckin second…_

He prepared his next dodge, eyeing her carefully. Although never smiling, he gave a slight chuckle. An idea was forming in his head. Moments later, a furred paw flew up, and an onslaught of blazes flew out. Each billowing and crackling with an unknown energy. They all shot up, then began to plummet like a bullet. He shifted his weight, eyes reflecting the fire like moons.

He didn't move, the flames swirling around him in a beauteous display of light and shadows. He wasn't hit once.

"Huh, guess I wwas right." He spoke with the confidence of an outlaw who had bested one to many cops. "You dont havve it in you to hurt me, do you?"

"…"

"I suppose wwere at an impasse, then. I cant hurt you, and you wwont hurt me."

"…"

"So noww, wwhat are the chances I can just wwaltz on through wwithout any more dispute?"

"…Alright."

"I understand you want to progress, and I have no right to keep you here. This place, it is actually rather small once you get accustomed to it. One used to open expanses wouldn't be happy here." She turned towards the door. "I- I'm sure you can handle yourself out there."

Then, something unexpected happened. She turned towards the alien prince, tears flowing down her face. And pulled him into a hug. Extending her arms around his thin frame, leaving Eridan shocked. They had just met yesterday, why was she hugging him like a lusus does a wriggler? He didn't return the embrace, but didn't decline it, either. Something told him doing so would be something he'd regret later. Then she turned away, walking back into the long hall. Leaving him alone.

Shaking his head and brushing off his shirt, he walked through the doorway. This place was strange, but reminded him much of Earth, from what he had seen. The culture and architecture were similar, and the general morals nearly identical. How a society could build from so much coddling was beyond him. How did you know someone wasn't going to just…throw it all away and kill someone?

He sighed. He'd done that to, hadn't he? They were a team, albeit a team filled with one to many annoying folks for his tastes, but a team, nevertheless. There was a mutual trust between all of them, and he had shattered it. They'd never forgive him. He tugged at his scarf uncomfortably. In a way, they were their own society. Living together and not harming each other not out of fear, but out of trust. It was a fragile way of life, but a less brutal one. Still strange, though.

He reached another doorway, this time just two brick pillars, no fancy designs or anything and beyond them, a face he really didn't want to see.

"You."

"Hee hee, well, if it ain't mister great and prestigious! What. An. Honor." He smirked, winking an eye. "For someone so powerful, you sure were merciful."

"Shut up."

"She realized you're power. She knew how many you must have slain to gain it. And yet, she did nothing. And so did you. How touching. But, why spare her, and not all the others that have fallen before you? Are you planning on continuing this?" A wicked smile donned his face. "Idiot. In this world, it's _kill_ or _be killed_. So, you saved her life, maybe out of sympathy, maybe regret, but you can't continue this forever. We are similar, my friend, and that's what makes us so strong. But if you keep this up…heh, you won't stand a chance against me."

And, with a wicked laugh, he disappeared into the earth, leaving the young prince with but a patch of grass and a door.

 _Wwhat the fuck am I doin?_

He walked through.

* * *

And, done! I hope you enjoyed!

 _IceFeather9110_


	5. Chapter 5

Yes. Finally, we exit the ruins, embarking on our journey to who knows where! And now it's cold as hell.

Homestuck belongs to Andrew Hussie and Undertale belongs to Toby Fox.

* * *

Chapter 5

The light outside was indescribably bright, so much so that the young prince had to close his eyes while entering. A jaggedly cold breeze sliced the air in front of him, the wind throwing his scarf along his face. Something wet began to dampen his shoes, and the sound of a lone breeze filled the air. It was freezing, colder than he had ever endured before. The sensation pricked his skin and left it feeling uncomfortably numb. Clothed arms instinctively flew around his shoulders to keep warmer. No, this cold was unnatural, something not native to Alternia, where the sun left death to those unfortunate enough to stay outside for too long.

He opened his eyes to a sliver.

The skyline was barricaded with what seemed like endless forest. Tall, spindly trees stood like soldiers, packed in a tight line, unyielding. Their rough brown uniforms all alike, sprinkled in a faint, mysteriously white powder. It was everywhere, the ground was covered in it. Shimmering, smooth, cold as fuck, but a bit familiar. Had he, yes. The Witch of Space, Jade, was it? Her planet had contained boatloads of the stuff too. Frost, was it called? But hadn't it fallen from the sky? He was in a cave, there was no sky.

 _Wwhatevver, this place is already filled to the fuckin brim wwith impracticalities._

He began to walk forward, since it was the one linear path he could take. The frost crunched softly under his steps, malleable, yet somehow brittle at the same time. His breath let out in strange, misty puffs as he walked along. A rugged stick, about two feet long, sat in the pathway ahead, squatting meekly. He paid it little mind.

A sharp, staccato crack let out behind him, whipping his face around to see what had caused the sound. The lone remnant of what had once been part of a tree lay in shattered pieces, with no one around but himself. Frowning, he shuttered and continued, eyes darting. With every second that passed, he swore to himself more and more that he felt like he was being watched. Eyes upon his back, and a mind in sync with his movements. A soft breath from the right, a slight crunch from behind. Eridan's breathtng became near-inaudible as his instincts from years of battle kicked in. He stepped lightly and quickly, always alert. Harder to hit a moving target.

Then he stopped. A figure, darkened by the shadows, had begun to walk towards him. They walked slowly and calmly, almost menacingly. They were shorter then him, but only by about half of a foot or so. They had a wide frame, obscuring most of their shadowed features.

"Stay back." He kept eye-contact with the figure, or at least, where he thought the eyes were. They didn't stop moving. "Im wwarnin you."

"some way to greet someone. didn't you ever learn some manners?" Their tone was dark, but it seemed forced. "tell you what, i'll give you a clean slate. come on and shake my hand."

The figure extended a mitten to him, a puffy, blue jacket hanging loosely on their forearm. Tentatively, the seadweller reached out his own, chilled hand. Maybe it was a trick, of sorts? Poison-tipped rings weren't that uncommon. Maybe just wishful thinking?

"Ppppphhhhhlllllllbbbtttssssshhh…"

 _Oh boy._

The figure, who was now illuminated, was definitely not what he expected. His face was skinless, leaving nothing but a grinning skull. A small light emanated from each socket, not brightly, but there. He was made of nothing but white bone. Besides that, he wore a puffy blue jacket, connected to the prior mentioned puffy blue sleeve. The front was unzipped, and its furred hood was down. Shorts made of a nylon-like fabric and fuzzy white slippers seemed a bit off for the weather, though.

"heheh, the whoopee cushion in the hand trick." His voice was relaxed and low. "no offense, but you kinda walked right into that one." The corners of his mouth were the only thing that moved when he spoke, somehow malleable, yet still in the same smile. It was slightly disturbing, but not uncomfortable.

"The wwhat?" He glanced down at the red rubber balloon in his hand, though the skin was much thicker than a normal balloon, and wasn't tied off at the end.

"that's some accent you got there. and it's a whoopee cushion, kid. i thought everyone knew these things, guess i'm wrong. by the way, the name's sans. what's yours?"

"…Its Eridan, if you must knoww."

"well, we're doing introductions, aren't we? anyways, i've never seen you 'round here before. you new or something?

"Uh, yeah."

"if you want, i'll be happy to take off from work to show you the town. howza **trout** it?"

 _Youvve got to be kiddin me._

"N-"

"great. it's just down this near-completely linear path, so you might wanna keep track of where your going. and don't work bout the gate, my bro made the bars to wide to stop anyone."

The alien turned around. A thin, rough bridge made of planks stood over what could be described as a small canyon. Long beams from raw tree trunks hung from a supporting beam stretched diagonally along the chasm. They didn't seem to serve as much purpose as originally intended. He bluntly walked through them with little effort, Sans trailing behind.

"speaking of my brother, i think that's him coming now."

After a few moments of silence, a tall figure ran up, skidding to a halt. He, like his brother, was also skinless, but thinner. He wore a white shirt that went down to just under his ribcage, and blue shorts that were just a bit too short. A red, scarf-like cape blew in an icy wind, matching with his red gloves and boots. Most of his outfit was fitted with a golden trim.

"SANS! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" He spoke with a loud, pompous, slightly nasally voice.

"just escorting someone new into town."

"I nevver agreed to this." He was shortly drowned out by the brothers.

"WHAT? REALLY? CAN I JOIN TOO?"

"knock yourself out, bro."

The taller one turned to Eridan, his gait tall and proud.

"GREETINGS! I AM THE GREAT PAPYRUS, AND IT IS AN HONOR TO MAKE YOUR AQUANTENCE! COULD YOU TELL ME YOU'R NAME?"

"…Sure. I am Eridan Ampora."

"ERIDAN, IS IT? WELL, THEN, I WELCOME YOU TO SNOWDIN. EVEN THOUGH TOWN ABOUT A MILE AHEAD OF US. AHEM, IN THAT CASE, WE SHOULD BEGIN GOING THERE, YOU LOOK EXTREMLY COLD!"

"Wwhat wwas the first clue?" He remarked, shivering and pale.

"WELL, PROBABLY BECAUSE YOUR SHAKING, WHICH MEANS YOUR COLD! ALTHOUGH IT COULD HAVE BEEN THE SECOND CLUE. I, BEING SO GREAT, NOTICED THEM ALL AROUND THE SAME TIME."

"you know, we should probably get on our was. sooner or later were gonna end up with… **frozen fish.** "

Two loud groans and one relaxed chuckle emanated through the chilled sky.

* * *

Welp, not much to say here either. I'm tired, it's late on my watch, hope you all enjoyed this chapter, next one might be sooner then you think!

 _IceFeather9110_


	6. Chapter 6

Yes! I've been waiting for this moment where we begin our exposition on the skelebros! These two are some of my favorite characters in all of Undertale, and have given fonts a whole new meaning in my life. Like how Homestuck has given every single color a purpose within my mind...

Anyways, there are a few more questions...alright, just one question. But a question, nevertheless!

WhitePearlReaper: I don't think being close to the victims changed how much LV he got. But besides this, the amount of LOVE he has is pretty freakin' high!

And, to ShennaFox: FISSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHhhhhhhhhhh...

Ahem, Homestuck belongs to Andrew Hussie and Undertale belongs to Toby Fox.

And with that out of the way, let us move forwards!

* * *

Chapter 6

"Wwhy are there so many freakin puzzles?!"

The trek to Snowdin had been so far about half of an hour of walking through the cold expanse, and another half of nothing but endless puzzles embedded into the ground. Eridan, being the experienced tactician he claimed to be, was alright for the first four or so, but after a while even he admitted that they were starting to get redundant. He sighed, prodding the red outline of an "X", somehow turning it a strange soporific green color.

"BECAUSE PUZZLES ARE FUN! EVERYBODY LOVES THEM! EVEN UNDYNE, ONCE IN A BLUE MOON! WHICH IS NEVER, THERE ISN'T A MOON DOWN HERE."

He grumbled a "You dont say." Under his breath, a distasteful expression on his face. The tallest overheard, but gave it a smile and a slight laugh.

"OH, BUT I DO! I'VE NEVER ACTUALLY SEEN THE MOON, THOUGH, BUT I'D LIKE TO SOMEDAY."

Eridan, tapping the last "X" with the toe of his shoe, stepped away from the puzzle, watching the spiked gate detract with a semi-satisfying clunk. His face plastered with annoyance, and stuck there with the cold, he turned to the brothers. Sans, the younger one despite being several feet shorter, had been making horrid puns and practical jokes all throughout their journey. Eridan didn't mind jokes too much. Back before the game, he used to even throw a few into conversations while talking to Feferi, only when he thought it was needed, of course. But these puns were bad. Painfully bad at times. Whether it was a snow-related knock-knock, or the god-awful, never-want-to-experience-again thing he had called a "joy buzzer", it was relentless, and effortlessly executed as well, which made sense. He didn't seem like the type to want to do many things that took efficient work. Though the prince could faintly see something else there. A fatigue, as well as a certain seriousness behind his words. Of course, he hid it well, or at least, well enough to fool someone who wasn't looking for it. Eridan found himself questioning if it was even there at all.

His relaxed demeanor and paced style of speaking were oddly divergent in comparison to Papyrus. Enthusiastic, energetic, and a bit egotistical at times. He spoke in a loud, boisterous voice, and lived the part. Everything he did was over the top and genuine. When he spoke with a flourish of his cape, and a pose that turned heads, for better or for worse, he wasn't acting. This was him wanting to be himself, and even greater. As contrast as the two were, in physical and mental status, they both had the same…symptoms as Toriel. Undeniably, and unhealthily caring, especially the larger of the two. No matter how many harsh comments Eridan had mumbled under his breath, Papyrus would warp the meaning into a compliment, somehow. It was annoying as hell, but yet, a pleasant change? Sans would just brush it off, as if he expected his brother would react this way, though he seemed prepared if it didn't happen. He hadn't appeared to have taken any of the rough words to heart.

Papyrus's eyesockets were lit up like gaping dark holes when he faced them. "WOWIE! YOU SOLVED THAT PUZZLE SO EASILY! ALMOST AS EASILY AS I COULD! NYEH HEH HEH!"

"ï don't know, pap. he kinda had to **eridash** to do it so quickly."

"HE WASN'T EVEN RUNNING!"

"hm. i guess he wasn't. good call, bro."

"If you can solvve them quicker, wwhy am I doin them?"

"WHY, THAT'S SIMPLE! ME AND SANS ALREADY KNOW THE SOLUTIONS TO THEM, AND WHERE'S THE FUN IN DOING A PUZZLE YOU KNOW HOW TO SOLVE?"

"Wwhat, because you havve to do them evvery time you wwant to leavve towwn?" He faltered a bit while saying this. Too many troubling letters and sounds for his tastes. The brothers said nothing of it.

"WELL, THAT TOO, BUT MAINLY BECAUSE WE MADE MOST OF THEM!"

"Really noww?"

Sans shoved his hands deeper into his jacket pockets, shrugging with closed eyes and relaxed shoulder bones. "well, pap here made most of the most that we made. it's pretty much our job, keeping a look out and capturing humans that might come through."

Now this was interesting. "Care to elaborate?"

"well, it's simple, really. The path to the capital runs right through snowdin, and humans can only access this place in the mouth of the cave or through the barrier, which as you know, is in the king's castle. so me and papyrus are in charge of making sure to bring any humans we find to asgore."

"AND ONE DAY I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, WILL MAKE IT INTO THE ROYAL GUARD FOR MY HEROIC DEEDS! THE ENTIRE UNDERGROUND WILL CHANT MY NAME! PAPYRUS, HOW ARE YOU SO HANDSOME AND CORAGEOUS? TO WHICH I WILL RESPOND WITH SOMETHING SO CHARISMATIC, THEY, THEY….OH DRAT. UH…"

"They wwould chant your name twwice as much?"

"EXACTLY! SEE, WE MET ONLY A MILE AGO AND WERE ALREADY BEST PALS!" The skeleton stroke an overelaborate pose to no one but the two, causing Sans to chuckle and Eridan to give a silent moment of regret.

 _Then again, a swweep ago, I wwas no better._

"anyways, were just about at town. Hey, papyrus, you mind giving the tour?"

Papyrus gave a smile. "IT WOULD BE AN HONOR! ERIDAN, LET US GO TO SNOWDIN!" and with this, he dragged the seadweller by the wrist into town, giving heartily 'Nyeh's and 'Heh's all the way.

"HERE WE ARE! MY MEW FRIEND, I WELCOME YOU TO MY HOME, SNOWDIN!"

Eridan, rubbing his slightly-sore hand, did his best to stifle a small gasp as he entered the town.

He had been to towns many times before in his life, despite living on a small island, but Snowdin was nothing like he'd expected. Of course, there was the snow, as he learned it was called, and it was everywhere. This wasn't surprising. But the hives were things he'd never think to see. Unlike the usual smooth, shiny monotone black walls comprising most densely populated areas, the buildings here were made of a matte, light brown wood that had a comforting warmth to it in comparison to the chitin-like walls of most Alternian structures. Decorative windows of all shapes and sizes glowed from an internal light. A large banner in strangely colorful letters replied "Welcome to Snowdin", the "o" in Snowdin containing a small, smiling face. The town, despite being in the middle of a barren expanse of freezing temperatures, seemed to generate a warmth of its own. Two large buildings stood next to each other in the front of town, both with signs labelled "Shop" and "Inn" respectively. Beyond that was a few other visible buildings, a taller one at the edge of town. To the right of those, on the other side of the unmarked street, were houses, in front of more woodlands.

The villagers, on the other hand, were an entirely different story. Creatures of all shapes and sizes and colors roamed the town. Blues and cobalts clashed with rusts and fuchsia mixes. Jades and purples stood out from bronze and gold palettes. There wasn't any order in it at all, as far as he could tell. Everything was a concord splatter of vibrant hues and offset color schemes. And as uncomfortable as it was, it wasn't…ugly. Sure, it was unnatural and unfit for any civilization, according to himself, but not a sight for sore eyes. It wasn't great either.

 _Something I just have to get used too, supposedly._

The skeleton was beaming with anticipation. "COME ON, I MUST INTRODUCE YOU TO EVERYBODY!" He began walking forward at a brisk pace, the seadweller following behind.

Over the course of the next hour or so, the pair had talked to nearly everyone in town. They all seemed to hold Papyrus in a positive light, greeting him with smiles and waves whenever he walked up. Each conversation had been similar in protocol. A hello, a brief introduction, and a warm welcome. Normally, a few questions would be thrown in. Where he was from, why he was there, and how he was enjoying his stay were the most frequent. He tossed back a few vague responses before giving an acceptable farewell. Rinse and repeat. After a while, they found themselves walking through the main street, scanning the area for any more lone villagers who hadn't been sought yet. At least, Papyrus was, Eridan was just surveying the sights.

"SO, WHAT DO YOU THINK OF SNOWDIN? I CAN TELL, YOU ARE IMPRESSED!" He chuckled as they walked. The seadweller gave a half-hearted shrug in response.

"Its certainly colorful."

"REALLY? I NEVER THOUGHT OF OUR TOWN AS THAT COLORFUL. WHERE YOU'RE FROM MUST BE QUITE MONOCROMATIC."

"One could say. It had colors, actually color wwas a big part a our culture. Just, colors nevver wwere mixed too much."

"HUH." The brother sighed slightly. "YOU SAID THAT IN PAST TENSE." Eridan stopped short.

"…So?"

"WELL, THAT MEANS IT'S NOT LIKE THAT NOW. DID THEY CHANGE POLICIES?"

"Yeah, I mean- thats wwhat happened." The skeleton stopped and frowned as best he could.

"ERIDAN. WE'VE BEEN FRIENDS FOR A FEW HOURS NOW, AND I CAN TELL YOU'RE LYING. THAT SCARF IS A DEAD GIVE AWAY."

Eridan glanced at his scarf. He hadn't realized he had been rubbing he fabric between his fingers. How had Papyrus even noticed something like that, and in such a short span of time? He himself didn't even know he had a tell like that.

"I UNDERSTAND IF YOU DON'T WANT TO TELL ME, BUT DON'T LIE, ALRIGHT?"

"…Wwhere Im from, isnt really around anymore."

"OH…" They walked in silence for a few moments. "ARE…YOU FROM OUTSIDE THE UNDERGROUND?"

"Howwd you knoww?"

"ACTUALLY, SANS SAID THAT HE THOUGHT YOU WERE! I OWE HIM FIVE GOLD NOW." He gave a grin. "HE DOES THINGS LIKE THAT. BOTH KNOWING THINGS AND SCAMMING GOLD OFF OF ME WITH IT. BUT THAT'S OKAY!" His eye sockets suddenly narrowed as a slightly sly look came upon his skull. "DON'T TELL SANS, BUT I KNOW HE PLACES THE GOLD BACK ON THE TABLE IN MY ROOM BEFORE I WAKE UP!"

 _Funny, Sans didnt act like he kneww bout it._

"SO, WHERE ARE YOU FROM ANYWAYS?"

"A place called Alternia. You wwouldnt know it."

"TRY ME! I CAN BE QUITE KNOLEDGEABLE!"

"Wwell, do you knoww of it?"

"NOPE! BUT I'M SURE IT WAS A GREAT PLACE! ER…DO YOU MISS IT?"

"Im not sure howw great of a place it wwas, it wwas more for some than others. But, I guess. Doesnt matter much anymore, though."

"WELL, DO YOU HAVE A PLACE TO STAY NOW?"

Eridan gave a huff. "Wwhat do you think?"

"I THINK THAT IS A NO." He jabbed at his chest with his thumb, cape billowing in the wind. "WORRY NOT! I, BEST HOST PAPYRUS, WILL OFFER YOU A PLACE AT MY HOUSE! NYEH HEH HEH!"

"Erm, Ill consider it."

"GREAT! WAIT, I SHOULD GIVE YOU A TOUR OF MY HOUSE! THIS WAY!"

Papyrus began jogging towards the edge of town. They passed a restaurant labelled "Grillby's" on the way. He had asked why they hadn't looked for anyone in there, but Papyrus remarked that Sans would probably want to take him there personally, since it was one of his favorite places. Eventually, they reached the tall hive seen earlier. It towered over the other building grandly, about twice as tall as the runner up. The same, umber wood as most of the other hives, an overhang above a wreath-decorated door and a small balcony overlooking the east. Small lights were strung up on a few poles and the roof, where a small, hornless pirate's flag waved. Two mailboxes sat to the left, one bursting at the seams with unread junk-mail, and the other painfully empty. At least a foot of snow sat on the roof. Papyrus reached for the doorknob, turning to the Ampora.

"WELCOME TO MY HOUSE! NOW, MAKE YOURSELF COMFORTABLE, AND I, MASTER CHEF PAPYRUS, WILL COOK YOU SOME OF MY GRADE-A HOMEMADE NOODLES FOR LUNCH! NYEH HEH HEH!" He rushed inside, leaving the door hanging wide open.

… _House?_

* * *

And here we are! But don't worry, the Papyrus doesn't end here, far from it! And with this, I make my exit. Until next time!

 _IceFeather9110_


	7. Chapter 7

OH DANG

Sorry this chapter took so long. I had writers block, and had no idea how to write this chapter. It a bit short too, I feel kinda bad about this... but I promise, the next chapters will be quicker, better, and longer! And thanks to Chloe Hallow Eve for the wonderful review!

Homestuck belongs to Andrew Hussie and Undertale belongs to Toby Fox.

Now, onwards!

* * *

Chapter 7

Eridan walked inside the newly dubbed "house", not knowing what to expect. The inside was, actually not to dissimilar to that of Alternian origin. The door lead to a small, semi-organized living room. The walls were of identical wood, if not a bit worn. A comfy couch was propped against one wall, with a television facing adjacent. A single sock with a series of paper notes loitered by the entrance to the kitchen. A series of significantly-safer stains lead to an upstairs. Papyrus, stepping in large, confident bounds, displayed the humble dwelling as if it was a palace he had offered to show him out of generosity.

"AGAIN, WELCOME TO MY HOME! PLEASE, SIT DOWN, AND I WILL GET YOU SOME OF MY FAMOUS LUNCH!" He sprinted towards the kitchen at an impressive speed, leaving Eridan in an unseen dust. Sheepishly, he strode towards the couch and sat down on the cold cushions. It made a slight jangling sound.

"SO, SINCE YOU ARE NOT FROM HERE, HOW ARE YOU LIKING YOUR STAY?" Papyrus called from the other room.

The seadweller looked up, hands buried deep into his scarf. "Its definitely…chillier then wwhat Im used too. Alternia is vvery, vvery hot."

"OH NO! I FORGOT YOU WERE COLD! …WORRY NOT, I, MASTER CHEF PAPYRUS, AM JUST ABOUT FINISHED WITH YOUR SPAGETTI! THIS SHOULD WARM YOU RIGHT UP!" He walked back into the room, carrying a plate of something ductile, as well as a strangely pungent scent. The pasta was steaming. "HERE YOU GO!" Eridan tentatively took the fork and nibbled on a noodle. The swallow was forced and rough. The taste, somehow, worse his own cooking.

"WHAT DO YOU THINK?"

"…It could use…somethin."

"HMM, COMSTRUCTIVE CRITISM. I LIKE YOUR STYLE! I KNOW I HAVE MUCH TO IMPROVE ON IN THE ARTS OF COOKING. BY THE TIME YOU EAT ANOTHER PAPYRUS-MADE DISH, THERE WILL BE IMPROVEMENT BY THE MILES! I, BEING SO GREAT, CANNOT NOT IMPROVE!"

"Sure."

The skeleton walked over and sat next to the guest on the couch, which let out another small jingle of unknown metals. "SO, TELL ME MORE ABOUT THIS ALTERNIA. WHAT IS IT LIKE?"

So, over a plate of untouched spaghetti, Eridan told him about his previous life. He spoke of rolling hills and plains that stretched miles. Bustling cities with their enormous crowds and busy walkways, and forests with great, silvery bark and cotton-candy colored leaves. And the sprawling ocean with its golden sands and thundering waves. He spoke of his hive, the wrecked warship upon a rocky island not too far from shores. How he lived in the open expanse of the ocean. And how, every night, you could see the moons, and billions upon billions of stars clear as crystal illuminating the world in a faint glow. Papyrus seemed especially interested in the sky, but probably because he never had one of his own. Eridan, living with the sky his entire life, didn't find it anything special personally, but could understand the thought. It was a lovely sight.

He hadn't mentioned much about day-to-day life on Alternia, though. He felt the skeleton wouldn't react too keenly to learning his new friend grew up with a blood thirsty culture he fit right in with. Though he denied to admit it to himself, he had grown slightly fond of Papyrus. He reminded him of himself. The pompous, regal attitude was still there, as well as a slight soldier's mindset. The distaste towards terrible jokes was icing on the cake, no pun intended at all. The big difference was just that he was less evil, and way more social.

"WOWIE! THAT SOUNDS AMAZING! AND TO THINK, YOU HELD OF EATING YOUR SPAGETTI JUST SO YOU COULD TELL ME THIS!"

"Not really."

"OF COURSE! YOU HAD THAT ONE BIGHT BEFORE, HOW COULD I FORGET! OH, I FORGOT TO ASK, DO YOU KNOW HOW TO COOK?"

"Thats not really somethin I do, or evver did, honestly."

"WELL, WHAT DID YOU DO BACK THEN?"

The prince grimaced. This hadn't been where he had wanted the conversation to go.

"I did…stuff."

Papyrus leaned forward. "OHO! WHAT KIND OF STUFF?"

"Important stuff."

"REALLY? WOWIE, YOU MUST'VE BEEN REALLY REALLY FAMOUS!"

Eridan clutched his scarf, uncomfortable. "Wwell, it wwas more, infamous then famous."

"…"

He released a bottled up sigh. "Truth is, Pap, Im not the nicest of people. I mean, Im a terrible person, Ivve done a lot a bad things. Hell, half a the things Ivve said to you wwere fuckin insults, that you couldnt evven comprehend! Ivve hurt people!" He was standing now, face scowling.

Papyrus was not prepared for this at first. He stepped back, eyes wide and hands up in defense. Small, orange tears were brimming in his sockets, threatening to fall down his face. The corners of his mouth tipped downwards and quivered a little. Eridan instantly saw that what he said had hurt a lot, slight surprise filling his face, then regret. "Look, I-I probably shouldnt havve mentioned that, I got carried awway."

"NO. ACTUALLY, IT...GOOD YOU TOLD ME. IT SEEMED LIKE YOU WERE HOLDING THAT IN A LONG TIME. LOOK, IF YOU DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT, THAT'S FINE. BUT WHAT YOU'VE DONE BEFORE DOESN'T DEFINE YOU. YOU SOUND HONESTLY REGRETFUL OF WHATEVER YOU'VE DONE. IF YOU'RE NOT GOING TO JUST TRY AND DO BAD THINGS, YOU DESERVE A SECOND CHANCE."

"...I, it wwas my job. I had to do it, otherwwize, a lot a terrible things wwoulda happened. I still did it, and it hurt a lot a people."

Papyrus sat down, obviously not sure exactly how to handle the situation. "WELL, UH, I GUESS THEY'RE WASN'T MUCH YOU COULD HAVE DONE. BUT, I'M SURE WHATEVER YOU DID, IT WAS FOR THE BEST! YOU SEEM TO BE A VERY SMART PERSON, ERIDAN!"

"Thanks, Pap."

After a whle, Eridan decided it was time to head off. Papyrus volentiered to walk him to the edge of town with Sans, even though the alien had said that he was fully capable of going solo.

"ya see, the path ahead leads to waterfall, a pathway of caves leading to hotlands, which leads to the capital, which is where i'm assuming you're going. it's a bit dark in spots, but eh, you'll manage."

"Alright, thanks."

"MAKE SURE TO VISIT!"

"I wwill."

"HEY, BEFORE YOU GO, JUST A QUICK QUESTION. WHY ARE YOU GOING TO THE CAPITAL, ANYWAYS?"

The seadweller just gave a simple shrug, and began to walk off.

Elsewhere, far behind, a small child awoke in a bed of golden flowers, unknowing of the impact they will have.

* * *

Alrighty! If you have any opinions or ideas, feel free to comment them! Until next time, hopefully before 2016!

 _IceFeather9110_


	8. Chapter 8

Woo, here we are! Before we start, I would like to thank everyone for sticking with this story. I personally don't consider myself too good of an author and the fact that someone would read and, on top of that, enjoy my literature means a lot to me! I mean, sixty followers is quite a lot, in my opinion, wow! Thank you all, and I hope the new year, for those who celebrate, is fairing you all well!

Homestuck belongs to Andrew Hussie and Undertale Belongs to Toby Fox

Now, onwards!

* * *

Chapter 8

As the world grew darker and darker with each step, the lone troll let his footsteps echo throughout the cavern. As tolerable as the brothers were, he was glad to be away from them and free to speak as he pleased. In the beginning, he had thought they would be a bit more forgiving with his language. Sans had quickly advised him against that after he had let one slip while Papyrus was distracted with one of the multiple japes. Threats that were certainly not hollow stated that he would make his life a living hell. Key word, he tuned in on, living. So, he reluctantly had agreed to keep his tongue clean until he left town. After about two hours of carefully choosing his words for every sentence he spoke, he was glad to end the sentence.

 _Glad thats fuckin ovver._

Golden eyes surveyed the area, surprised of its dynamic contrast to Snowdin's light colors and merry atmosphere. The dark rugged blue walls were covered in gleaming cyan crystals, each shimmering with a cool glow. The sound of gently falling water played distantly, yet everywhere. It was incredibly tranquil, and had a kind of grace and slight majesty.

It actually reminded him a bit of Equ's land, The Land of Caves and Silence. The resemblance was uncanny, almost unnervingly so, almost. He had never been to LOCAS, but he saw pictures and heard descriptions. On second thought, he could also see a bit of the blue human's land in the scene as well. They were both heirs, so it wasn't impossible to say there was a trend to the class and places like this. He probably should ha-

"Hey, you!"

The seadweller snapped out of his internal monologue, turning to face the small, slightly squeaky voice. A small, reptilian creature with a large, oval head, triangular spines that looked more for decoration than protection, two short legs, slight bucked teeth, and a distinct lack of arms. They also wore a stripped sleeveless shirt that complimented their yellow complexion. A carefree grin filled their face and their eyes brimmed in mischief and excitement.

"Yo, you came here to see her too, right?"

"…Wwho?"

The reaction was immediate.

""YO! You mean you don't know who Undyne is? She's only the _coolest_ , dude! What are you, living under a rock? She's head of the royal guard, the elite of the elite!" Their grin turned sly. "Don't worry, she patrols Waterfall regularly. I'm sure you'll see her!" Small feet practically jumped in anticipation.

"Alright." He began to walk off, paying an empty sentry station of sorts little mind.

"Hey, wait up!"

A linear pathway lead towards a field of tall, seaweed-resembling flora, blocking out whatever was past. The young monster ran ahead a few steps before turning around.

"My name's Kid, by the way!"

"…It's Eridan."

"Nice! Hey, this is a spot Undyne hangs around a bit, and around this time, too!" Not a moment later, the soft patter of footsteps could be heard above. "C'mon, into the kelp!"

The foliage was thick and bushy, the ideal hiding spot. Although in turn, the hidden couldn't see anything either. Not like they would be able to see much of the ledge above anyways, though. The footsteps, now slightly muffled, came to a close.

"HELLO, UNDYNE, I'M HERE WITH MY DAILY REPORT!"

 _Papyrus?_

Some quieter voice could be heard, although not understood, from above.

"NOT MUCH HAS HAPPENED, AS USUAL. I DID MAKE A NEW FRIEND THOUGH!...THEY ACTUALLY SHOULD BE PASSING THROUGH HERE ABOUT NOW! THEY'RE NAMED ERIDAN! GREY SKIN, HORNS, AND FIN THINGS, KINDA LIKE YOUR'S ACTUALLY!...ALRIGHT, SEE YOU LATER FOR TRAINING!" The skeleton jogged away, and, after a few moments, so did the alleged Undyne.

The alien walked out of the grass calmly, preceding a slightly over-excited Kid. He paced a bit, trying to gather his thoughts. "Did they just…TALK ABOUT YOU?"

The violet-blood gave a half-heated shrug. "Sure, I mean, I met the other guy."

"Yo, that's so wicked! Ha, man, I wish they'd talk about me! C'mon, she's probably ahead!"

The next room was quite interesting, from a foreign point of view. The water glowed with a bioluminescent kind of energy, lighting up the dark caves even more so then the shimmering crystals could. The stream flowed almost invisibly, the surface glassy and calm. In the center of the room, four large, budded flowers grew in a square pattern. Their petals were a faint pink, with four long leaves sprouting out of the base. The reptilian creature grabbed one in their mouth and spoke through clogged teeth.

"Theethe are bridg seeths, you haf tooh puht four in a roe tooh makthe a bridg!"

""So…its, another fuckin puzzle." There was no way he was continuing his torture for a single measly wriggler. They didn't seem to pay it much mind anyways.

"Thure!" They spat the bud in the water, watching it bob down until a small waterfall stopped its steady travel.

"Alright, but wwhat if wwe just," He strode to a few feet's distance from the water's edge. Then he began to run towards the stream and leapt over, landing with a foot to spare. "Jumped across this pitiful river?"

"Yo, dude that was wicked! Alright, my turn." He trotted over to the spot Eridan had stood, stretching a bit in preparation. The, eyes lit up, he began to spring towards the gap. It almost looked like he would make it.

If he hadn't tripped last second and landed face-first into the water with a splash.

At first, he looked disappointed, and Eridan was ready to walk away. It wasn't like he was about to console someone over a sodden shirt. But then, to his surprise, the monster started laughing!

"Haha, dude, that was great!" He got up and crawled out of the depth, shaking water off of himself. "Don't work, I'll get it next time! Come on!" He ran out through the exit, giggling slightly, leaving a slightly stunned seadweller shaking the fog out of his head and following.

It wasn't long before Eridan had lost himself to thought again. He hadn't known that Papyrus was such an important part of this land's military force, much less in league with its head commander. The two of them could have had a conversation on the topic. Oh well, maybe next time. And although he hadn't seen nor heard from this Undyne, he felt he would soon. They seemed similar to himself, based of what he had heard, as well as what he could logically assume. Powerful, somewhat authoritative, and semi-aquat-

"Shit."

While thinking, he had bumped into someone small, almost tripping. A small cloud of dust rose as he stumbled a bit to regain his balance to keep from falling over them. The monster, recoiling in shock, sent out a blast of high-pressure water in his direction. A small bolt of liquid stung the prince directly in the cheek, instinctively he held his hand against it.

Moments later, the figure stopped, frowning. They had a bipedal figure, with a lime-green face, legs, and tail. Their body was a deep indigo, and seemed to hold a glass dome filled with water, housing a small yellow bird. They scowled at the small cloud of dust that had measly brushed onto them. "Sorry, but you filthy!" They then scurried away, hosing themselves down firmly.

"Eridan, are you okay?" Kid asked nervously, feet shuffling against the rocky floor. The seadweller shrugged, letting their hand drop to their side.

"Im fine, lets go." He rubbed his thumb against his forefinger to feel something...wet. He rose his hand to his gaze, a frown forming on his face. A small trickle of violet blood fell down their face, gathering up near his chin. He mopped a bit off with his sleeve, leaving a small stain.

"W-what's that stuff?" His voiced had turned quiet.

Eridan turned towards him, silent for a moment of confusion before remembering monsters didn't bleed. "Nothin to wworry about. Come on, wwe still havve the rest of Wwaterfall to travverse." He walked on, leaving a hesitant Kid to follow in his steps, unknowing of the single eye that watched in shock and fascination.

Elsewhere, the smell of butterscotch pie wafted through a quaint little house.

* * *

And here we are! Thanks to everyone for sticking with this story, even though updates are not the quickest. I hope you have a great day!


	9. Chapter 9

Alright, so sorry it's been so long, but here it is! This fic is going back in motion full-swing! I'm going to add some cover art tomorrow, and hopefully I'll have the ability to work on the next chapter over spring break, but I may not. Glad to be back!

Homestuck belongs to Andrew Hussie and Undertale belongs to Toby Fox.

Now, onwards!

* * *

Chapter 9

It had been about fifteen minutes since Eridan had bumped into the Woshua, things were much calmer now. Eridan had cleaned his face up with a small portion of the gallons of water available, until what had once been a bloody mess was now just an oddly-colored scratch. His clothes were slightly stained from a few stray drops, but they were hardly noticeable against the dark fabric. Kid has at first been nervous of the colored liquid draining from his new friend's face, though as time passed and nothing bad happened, he eventually gave up, his worry being overtaken by his curiosity.

"So, what is it?"

"None of your concern."

"Why is it purple, is it supposed to be purple?"

"It's vviolet."

"Heh, wiloet. You have a cool accent, Eridan."

This went on for a while, and to the young prince, each second was growing less and less tolerable. He knew in the back of his pan that he would have to shed a little blood eventually, and according to what he knew about monsters, that would be a nightmare to deal with. At least this was less of a ruthless interrogation and more so just a child's mind wanting answers. Nothing simple responses couldn't fend off from prying too deep. Annoying, nevertheless so.

"So, howw much farther until wwe get to the end of this place?" he inquired.

"Oh, well, we're about halfway through Waterfall. Up ahead there's this place that's always raining, and by then you can catch a glimpse of the capital!" They kicked at the rubble surrounding a small statue. "Yo, do you mind grabbing one of those umbrellas for me? I can't really because, you know." He gave a small shrug, should moving without arms.

"Sure." Eridan grabbed one of the umbrellas, specifically choosing one of a color closest to his own, unfurled it, and let it's shaft rest upon his shoulder. Kid jumped under it, and they continued walking.

Sure enough, as soon as they walked into the next room, a faint pit pat could be heard, and not much later, the world was engulfed in the sound of rain. drops leaked from stalagmites covering the ceiling, all a dark and deep indigo, like the end of twilight.

"Howw is it rainin if wwe're under the planet's crust?"

"Uhh, I think this place is under a lake in the aboveground, so it leaks through he rock until the water reaches us!" A small patch of semi-aquatic plants stood unmoving to the left of a rocky hole in the cave wall. Kid, grinning widely, ran ahead. "C'mon, you gotta check out this view!"

The lighting turned from a deep indigo to a dim teal, misty and dull. The air was cooler and crisp, but still. Kid, shadowed out by the darkness, was still visible in silhouette. Small footsteps echoed out, bouncing off the craggy terrain. One set fast and loud, the other slower and hushed.

"Look at this."

Far off, covered in mist and shrouded in darkness, a kingdom loomed. Handfuls of small buildings sat, rectangular and made of stone. They looked old, and corroded. Many were swallowed by the expanse of the underground, and invisible to the eye. Only those high enough on the wide plateau of rock could be seen. In the center of it all, a grand set of stairs lead up to a great doorway, leading into what was possibly the largest castle he had ever seen. Two smaller towers sandwiched the pinnacle of the structure, consisting of three spires, each with elaborate windows and blue tile roofs. As huge as it was, it definitely wasn't very fancy. The building was made of raw stone, and while detail was hard to make out, it didn't look as if it held anything along the lines of fancy carvings or statues. Any at all looked as if they were washed away with time. As mighty as the structure was, it was a bit saddening to look at it's scars. Eridan made sure to not let his face show it, though.

"It's certainly dated."

"Yeah..."

"So, this is the capital?"

"Yeah, that's it! it's a great view, right?"

"Hmm."

Kid shuffled his feet a bit. "You're not much for conversation, are you?"

The troll didn't tear his view from the far off sight. "Sometimes."

"Oh, okay then." The seadweller began to walk down the hallway again. Hey, wait up!"

The next room led back into the secluded abyss of dark walls, a tall ledge restricting access. The troll swiftly hurtled the barricade, grabbing on to the rough ledge and hoisting himself upwards.

"Yo, dude, that was wicked! Hey, I'm gonna go find another way to get around, alright?"

"Wwait, you-" But Kid had already ran off in the other direction.

 _Probably coulda hoisted him up here, but oh wwell._

The prince walked down the hallway in silence. He probably wasn't too far away from his destination, if it was visible from where he was. The underground was so small that he would probably arrive at the capital before daybreak. Or at least before when daybreak would have been if the sun was visible. But then what? He honestly had no reason to go there, and the chances there was something he was looking for there were slim to none. So why was he? The only reason he could think of was that is was a valid distraction from what was going on. This scenario he was in, it was just so...bizarre. What had caused him to end up here, where here was, why here of all places and why he wasn't dead were questions with no clear answer at all, or at least answers he was probably never going to find out.

A creaking sound cut through his thoughts, rickety and slightly waterlogged, causing him to was on a bridge.

"Wwhat the fuck..."

The bridge branched out into a maze of routes, all overlapping and twisting at right angles. Another bridge, slightly less awkward in construction, laid a floor below. Both lead to only one path.

 _Wwho in the hell built this monstrosity?_

He began winding down the unnecessarily abstract bridge, making sure to take the most efficient route. It was redundant, and quite ridiculous. After many twists and turns, he eventually ended up at the end.

"Alright, wwho the fuck decides to build an elaborate fuckin bridge, obviously knowwin howw to make one more linear, and leads it to nothin!" He huffed, walking to the edge of the wood and kicking at an imaginary stone. It didn't make any sense, who would-

Something bright, and very well thrown, rocketed towards his shoes, knocking him off the edge.

* * *

Alrighty! Fell free to comment, they all mean a lot, and constructive criticism is welcome! Hope you all have a wonderful day! Or night. It's night for me.


	10. Chapter 10

I really need to start updating more frequently. What has it been, three months! Wowza.

Anyways, sorry about the wait! I had been looking forward to writing this chapter, but it was difficult to do. But, with summer now here, I can dedicate more of my time to writing! Hopefully these next chapters will be as quick as my first few.

Homestuck belongs to Andrew Hussie and Undertale belongs to Toby Fox

Now, finally, onwards!

* * *

 _Chapter 10_

 _The world was back in the expanding nothing. White walls with a white floor and a white ceiling that may or may not all be just a trick of the mind. Clothes whole and without tear. Body unscathed. As if none of it had ever happened. Except that it did, very much so, happen. He could tell by the way she had her back to him. Black flats, leading to a rather intricately sewn skirt, made by herself, of course. A black shirt, with, although unseen, bore a jade symbol on one side. Hands at their sides, sleeves doubled up, one pair short, one long. Hair short and cropped, poking outwards in an exaggerated yet stylish fashion. Horns poking upwards at slight curves, one bearing a hooked end. And two more detail that he barely remembered. Her skin, instead of the usual grey pigment it bore when he remembered looking at her, was stark white, and had a deathly glow to it. Then there was the other. Around her waist, tied into a bow and flowing down at the back. It brushed the floor, the fabric of his noble violet hue and a medium weight, yet still able to billow in the wind as if it weighed nothing. He should know, he wore it for as long as he could remember. The oriental golden chains that held the clasp and hook could be seen on the ground, shimmering slightly._

 _Kanaya Maryam._

 _She turned towards him, complexion pale as the surrounding void, and face blank, at least until it turned into a scowl. The pair of eyes she had seemed different too, the shade of yellow lighter, perhaps. No matter, they still cut deep. They weren't even that angry, just, frustrated. Why did it have to go this way? Why had things started breaking in the first place, until the tower was so cracked that it just collapsed on itself?_

 _Why did the mass of emerald blood on her waist have to be the one thing he couldn't turn away from._

 _I did this._

 _She just starred. eyes furrowed slightly, mouth bearing two small fangs. He wondered what she was thinking of him. Was she furious of his actions? Was she sad things went the way they did? It didn't matter much now, anyways. The sound of mechanical blades was already sounding and the world was engulfed in his violet splatter._

 _And she did wwhat she had to do._

Golden eyes shot open, as reality came upon Eridan. The sound of water falling was prominent, but that wasn't new. There was more, though. It calmly lapping at something close, like the now sodden clothes the prince was wearing, or the imperialistic, yet thin fins that cupped sound waves and turned them into electrical signals, then telling his mind that the sound of water was right next to him. He could also feel it, chilly and damp, as well as something else. The young prince sat up, fixing his glasses from their askew position. Underneath him, half submerged in the thin pool, was a patch of golden flowers. The same breed as the ones that had broken his first fall.

 _As wwell as that first monster I met._

Standing up, the troll looked around. There was a surprising amount of trash there. It lined the walls, piled high above his head. Small wrappers and discarded plastics and metals bobbed in the water. It was rather disgusting, and almost unbelievable how much of it there was. He began to wade through the shallow liquid down the hall. There was nothing but the water flowing down the walls, and the unholy amount of rubbish it carried. Eventually he reached dry land, followed by a fork in the road. A few small hives, colored in pastels and oddly curvature in design, were visible ahead, and nothing was to the left, just more water. He decided to go right, coming to a small cave with a chest next to it. He could hear something from inside. Shuffling, breathing? Someone, at least. He poked his head inside, cautiously.

"Well, whadaya know?"

An old, guttural voice sounded from the end of a small room. The owner was a monster that reminded the seadweller somewhat of a tortoise, but larger and bipedal. He had scales of an olive green, a short, wispy grey beard, and his right eye was closed into a squint. He wore a tan pith helmet and shirt, and held a magnifying glass in his claws.

"You here to buy something, kid?" His face was lit in a warm smile, and he slouched ever so slightly.

"Uh, no. I'm a bit short on cash momentarily. Just passin though."

"Well that's just fine, came for a chat, did you?"

"Oh, not that either. Just to see wwho wwas in the room."

He could feel the suspicion coming from the monster, but he didn't interrogate him any further on the topic.

"Alright. Anyways, I'm Gerson! This here is my old little shop." He leaned forwards to wisper. "Almost as old as I am. Wahaha! It's a pleasure to meet you..."

"Er, Eridan." The prince glanced around the room. The walls were lined with scattered gemstones of pale fuchia and cyan colors, all different sizess and shimmering ever so slightly. Stalagmites and stalagtites covered the floor and ceiling, casting shadows on the stone wall. A small wooden table held a collection of items, all with a small peice of cardstock telling a description and a price. A pile of small redish fruits with a lumpy, almost crustation-like appearence lay scattered on the far left, followed by a few plactic boxes of some kind of chilled, glowing tea. Labeled at some higher prices, a pair of slightly bent glasses with clouded and scratched frames sat next to a torn up notebook covered with dust, making the cover near illegible. He was about to turn and leave, when a final thing caught his eye. A part of the stone wall had been carved out, forming shapes and patterns he had seen before. Three triangles, underneath a winged circle.

 _The same insignia as before._

"Actually, quick question. could you explain the symbol up on the wwall there?"

The old explorer turned to glance at the crest, then back to Eridan.

"That there is the Delta Rune, the emblem of the Kingdom of Monsters. It's been around since before written history, so not much is known of it's meaning. All we have uncovered is that the triangles represent monster kind, and the winged circle represents...somethin' else!" He gave a slight chuckle. "But it's commonly agreed upon that it probably represents the angel from the prophecy."

The hope player was staring intently at the carved stone. "Facinatin. Wwhat's this about a prophecy?"

"This education system, really. Not teachin you stuff this simple. The prophecy states that one day, an 'angel' who has seen the surface will decend from above, and free the underground. Though, nowadays most are being pessimists about it, saying that the 'angel of death' will free 'em from this mortal realm. I just think it looks neat, though, wahaha!"

Eridan felt a chill run down his spine.

"Thanks for the information, Ill be goin noww."

"Alright, see ya around, wahaha!"

He left the room, pan whirling. He had been right in assuming the circle was an angel. He thought back to LOWAA, and the dark, winged beasts that had given him so much trouble. He wondered about the surface, and what it meant by that. He had never heard that term before. He though, and he wasn't sure he liked where his thoughts were going.

Elsewhere, a child was fighting for their right of passage to the rest of the underground.

* * *

Hope this chapter suffices for now, remember to review, and if you want to suggest anything for the future of this store, message me! See ya later!


	11. An update

Hey.

So it's been a bit. About half a year I guess. Jeez, uh, sorry for not doing jack for this long? I feel pretty bad about that and I know I probably could've posted this way sooner but, uh, here we are. I've just been really unmotivated to write lately. I've had no ideas and just, didn't feel like doing much? Turns out me depression is coming in for round 2, woop de doo *confetti noise*! But I feel kind of energetic atm so Ill tell you what. We got three options here:

Door #1: We continue where we left off. I keep writing this thing the way I did, the way I want it to go. Only problem is that this is probably gonna go pretty slowly, And I have no guarantees that im not gonna fall back into another funk. We'll see how we do.

Door #2: I put this fic up for adoption. If one of you lucky people out there think they would like to continue this story, and I feel that that's a good idea, then happy birthday, heres a story! If this happens and the new author wants to message me about where my vision for the plot was heading, or for any pointers, feel free to ask!

Door #3: I post a long summary of the rest of the fic in it's entirety. No waiting, but no more of that sweet, sweet word art and detail work. Like a roughly carved statue of a figure instead of maybe a super neato detailed leg.

I'm gonna do a poll, and maybe ill tally the results in a month. Or 3 months, not sure how many of yall are still here. Anyways, feel free to message me, and that's all for now!

 _IceFeather9110_


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